Suspected Hoorn gas station fire: “It was not my intention to kill them”

The suspect was speechless. Especially his anger at what had been done to him. “I needed help. I couldn’t even get the basics (living space). A person cornered makes strange jumps. It was never my intention to take someone’s life. What happened in the town hall was incitement.”

It led to irritated reactions among those present in the room that A. was mainly concerned about himself, while they are still suffering from the incident on May 22, 2020. A. was angry after a conversation at the municipality, filled at the gas station at Zwaagmergouw a watering can with petrol and walked into the shop. He doused a customer who was just about to walk out with gasoline. Then he emptied the watering can onto the floor.

Huge blowtorch

During the session, camera images show how the victim tries to get away, but cannot find a way out. Just before A. lights the petrol, an employee of the gas station opens a door, allowing the man to flee. Shortly afterwards, a huge flash of flame can be seen.

According to the victim’s lawyer, Suzanne van Bunnik, her client suffered a lot from what happened to him. “He has had therapy for a long time. It has also brought him a lot of fear and misery. He saw no escape route and thought it would go wrong. For him this is the last point, he wants to close it.”

The employees of the gas station are also still anxious while working. “He has made me a victim and live with fear,” their lawyer read from one of the victim statements.

No attempted murder

Kenadid A. has a long list of convictions. Including in the United Kingdom, where he was deported in 2015. Back in the Netherlands things often go wrong. Including destruction. According to the Public Prosecution Service, his actions are becoming increasingly extreme.

“If the victim had still been there, he would certainly have caught fire. The suspect is lucky that no one was injured,” said the public prosecutor, who eventually demanded six years in prison.

According to A.’s lawyer, the Public Prosecution Service is aiming too high with attempted murder. “It is not reflected in the camera images in my client’s actions. I would find a sentence of three years more appropriate.”

Although several witnesses stated that Kenadid A. said that he wanted to ‘set people on fire’, he denies this himself. “You can see in the images that I’m waiting for everyone to leave. I just wanted to destroy something. If I wanted to set someone on fire, I would have done that.”

He also said he didn’t need any help, just a roof over his head and work. That is why he did not want to cooperate in psychological research. “I don’t trust that.” The judge will rule on March 17.